Improvement in riding-stirrups



NAPETERS. FHDTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON` D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

R. N. EAGLE, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT CF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RIDING-STIRRUPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,291, dated September 20, 1864.

To all whom t T12/ay concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT NELSON EAGLE, of the city and county of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Riding-Stirrups and Hoods Therefor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figures l and 3 are rear views of stirrnps or stirrup frames, illustrating my invention. Figs. 2 and 5 are vertical transverse sections of modilied forms of the same. Fig. et is a vertical longitudinal section of a complete stirrup.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

My present improvements consist, first, in the construction and use of a stirrup or stiriup-frame of wood, bent in proper shape, and which, with arms separate or indirectly connected, may be suspended without the intervention of a wood or other block employed to connect them; second, in the employment of suitable collars, ferrules, or loops, as hereinafter described, for securing the ends of the disconnected arms of the aforesaid stirrupframe, and for holding or confining the suspension-strap; third, in the employment, in connection with a wooden stirrup or stirrupframe, of an inner or upper tread, of metal, wood, or other suitable material, projecting forward of the .lower tread and constituting the under portion of the hood or toecap, or

projecting backward to afford an additional foot-rest behind; fourth, in slotting the arms between the tread and shoulder at any desired points to receive the suspension strap.

In order that others skilled in the art to which myinvention appertains may be enabled to fully understand and apply the same, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A A may represent the arms, and B the tread or vbase of a stirrup or stirrup-frame constructed of bent wood with the ends of the arms approaching each other in a converging direction, or carried up from shoulders in the form of a web or neck, and indirectly connected by means of the suspension-strap, or by a fer-rule,

cord, or collar, rings, or loops of metal or other material and of any suitable construction.

F F F in Fig. 4 represent a metallic band or ferrule inclosing the ends ot' the arms and retaining them at the desired distance apart, and which also serves for the attachment of apin, e c, upon which a roller, E E, is loosely hung in such a manner that when the suspension-'strap is passed around it and drawn up between the arms the double of the strap will be spread andwedged by the said roller between the arms and without bearing upon the pin. This is deemed preferable to sustaining the weight upon the pin e e, although the latter course may be adopted if desired.

Y Y, in Figs. l and 2 represent a modification of the ferrule F F F, and consists of a collar, cord, or loose ferrule, the construction and operation of which will hereinafter be more fully described.

S S in Fig. l and 2 represent slots cut in each arm, near the ends of the bow, through which the suspension-strap passes, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

L, L', and L2 in Figs. 1 and 2 represent loops attached to the exterior of the frame, near the ends of the bow7 and also alongthe sides and beneath the tread, for the purpose of attaching or retaining the suspension-strap, 'as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

L3 L3 in Fig. 3 represent similar loops applied within and near the ends of the arms,

which may be employed either as a means of attachment for the suspension-strap, or7 as when used in connection with the loop L2 and slots S S', for retaining the strap in place, as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

K K K in Fig. 5 representa strap of metal or other materia-l passing over or across the ends of the arms, and secured thereto by rivets, screws, or other suitable means, and slotted at top to receive and retain the suspensionstra-p, the means of suspension'being mainly afforded by the strap itself in this modification of my improvement, as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

H H and H in Fig. 4 represent a hood or toe-cap, of leather or other suitable material, and M M the upper or inner tread, (formed by preference of metal or wood,) which extends forward from the front edge of the stirrupframe and constitutes the lower portion of the hood or toe-cap, as shown at H', and which or below the tread M M. Between the upper tread M, and the lower or main tread, B, a slot, S2, is formed for the reception of the suspension strap in manner hereinafter described.

Any or all of the slots herein mentioned may be of any form, size, and inclination desired.

In the several figures illustrating my improvements are shown different methods by which the suspension-strap may be attached or applied to the outer or innerl side, or partially ou the outer and partially on the inner side, of a stirrup or stirrupframe whose arms 'are indirectly connected, first, as shown by red lines in Fig. 4, which represent the suspension-strap C passing between the ends of the arms, and around the roller E E, loosely playing upon the pin e c or. second, by black lines in Fig. 2, which show it passing in like manner between the arms and through a simple ring or loose block. B, the operation of either of these methods having the effect to spread the strap and wedge -it between the arms, 'which in Fig. 4 are kept at the desired distance asunder by the band or ferrule F,

and in Fig. 2 by the suspension-strap which interposes between the arms, while the cord or loose collar Y Y limitsthe space between them. A modification of the simple ring or loose block B, just referred to, may be its permanent attachment to one end of the suspensionstrap, while the other end is passed between the arms and secured to the saddle. It being observable that as the ferrule F F and its modification Y Y are mainly useful when the suspension-strap is required to wedge 7 between the arms, they may-be dispensed with, or applied, if desired, in addition to the means afforded for suspension, as shown in other modifications herein following. Third, as shown by black lines in Fig. 1, which represent the suspension-strap C, passing through slots S S, formed in each arm, near the ends of the bow; fourth, as shown by red linesin Fig. l, which represent the strap passing around the exterior of the frame and through divers loops, L, L', and L2thereon 5 fifth, as shown by blue lines in Fig. 1, which represent the strap as secured to the upper and outer loops, L L; or, sixth, as shown by black lines in Fig. 3, which represent the strap passing between he arms and secured to the inner and'upper loops, LS L3; seventh, as shown by red lines in Fig. 2, which represent the strap C passing around the outside of the lower frame through loops L L/ and L2 and slots S S at the sides, to the interior of the bow, and thence out between the ends of the arms; eighth, as shown by red lines in Fig. 3, which represent the strap passing around the lower frame through loop L2 at the tread, and slots S S at the sides, to the interior of the frame, and thence through the upper and inner loops, L3 L3, out between the ends of the arms.

The collar or loose ferrule Y Y, if applied in the modifications described in thc last six clauses, may be so arranged as to pass through rings or over the loops or other obstructions L L, or in any suitable manner applied, although the drawing and binding effects of the suspension-.strap` particularly when in use, are deemed amply sufficient to complete their efficacy without the ferrule aforementioned,

or its equivalent. y

In cases where the upper tread, M M, is used in the construction of a stirrup, the suspension-strap, instead of passing completely around and beneath the frame, will pass be tween the upper and lower treads, M and B, through the slot or aperture S2.`

Having thus described my invention, the

following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A stirrup or stirrup-frame, of wood, with arms separate at their upper ends, to be indirectly' connected by means of a ferrule or loop, or by the suspension-strap, in any manner, substantially as described.

2. Suspending a stirrup by means of a strap passing between the ends of the arms and secured without the aid of any block employed to connect the said arms.

3, The inner' or upper tread, J, projecting forward to constitute the lower part of the hood or toe-cap, or rearward, to afford an additional foot-rest at back.

4. A stirrup or stirrup-frame, of wood or tially as described.

, R. N. EAGLE.

Witnesses:

OcrAvrUs KNIGHT, EDM. F. BROWN. 

